ECLIPSE Leadership Initiative

Founded on the ideas of Collaborative Leadership and Interprofessional Education within the field of health, ECLIPSE is designed to help students gain skills in each of our pillars; communication, teamwork, roles, and values, through practice and reflection. By working collaboratively and interprofessionally (multiple disciplines present), our future health leaders can be more intentional and improve patient and community health outcomes.

Our Mission: To foster students’ abilities to become leaders within and beyond our communities through diverse, student-centered, collaborative, and interprofessional experiences, in purpose for health.

Our Values: Collaborative Leadership and Interprofessional Education are at the core of leadership in diverse health-related professions. We believe that self-reflection and self-discovery contribute to shaping adaptive leaders’ ability to perform effectively in various contexts. We value health-related leaders who positively impact those they serve by:

• Understanding that roles and responsibilities evolve and fluctuate
• Working independently and in teams
• Communicating effectively and responsibly with diverse individuals
• Recognizing values and ethics to maintain mutual respect

Our Vision: Through practiced leadership as a collaborative effort, ECLIPSE graduates will be unique assets to diverse health-related professions as they perform with the purpose of improving the lives of others.

As a member of ECLIPSE, you are part of a community within the School of Health Sciences and can learn from peers, staff, faculty, and professionals - in purpose for health.

• Learn skills necessary to be successful in your future career including; professional roles and responsibilities, effective communication skills, the importance of teamwork, and the ability to recognize and lead with your values.
• Discover your leadership traits through collaboration, self-assessment and reflection, and develop an interprofessional leadership ePortfolio.
• Practice and build skills, qualities, and aptitudes that are essential to make you stand out and be competitive in health graduate programs and the workplace.
• Get matched with a Peer Mentor group to meet new people who have similar passions as you and HAVE FUN!

Through workshops, service and continuous reflection, ECLIPSE encourages you to engage in self-discovery and learn more about who you are and the impact you can make as a leader in your field. ECLIPSE rewards you for what you are already planning on doing (such as attending a lecture, volunteering, or working on a group project in a class) and you earn points as you reflect on these experiences. The opportunity to move up levels and showcase experiences in your leadership ePortfolio will boost your resume and help you to stand out as a leader on campus and in your future career. ECLIPSE has a monthly meeting/workshop to help you practice skills in each of our pillars and organizes activities for students and mentoring groups. A Google calendar will be shared with you so you are aware of upcoming events that count for points.

ECLIPSE Levels:

Bronze 100–199 points

Silver 200–299 points

Gold 200–499 points

Platinum 500+ points

* Platinum earners, our highest honor, will receive a stole to wear for graduation.

What does participation in ECLIPSE look like? 

• Attend 3 of 4 ECLIPSE class meetings each semester. ECLIPSE classes are zero credit hours, but show up on your transcript. Once you sign up to join ECLIPSE, you will be sent the CRN information to register.
• Meet 4 times a semester with your peer mentor group (assigned upon entering program).
• Submit reflections for your involvement on and off campus about the leadership skills you are building around communication, teamwork, responsibility, and values to earn points towards the next level in ECLIPSE.
• Develop an ePortfolio that becomes a digital resume to track your leadership journey, and to share with future employers and graduate programs.
• Meet individually once a semester with the ECLIPSE program coordinator to review your progress in the program.
• Your final year in the program, participate in a semester-long Community Impact Project with a group of students from different health majors, in partnership with a health-focused community organization.
• Stay involved in ECLIPSE throughout your entire time as an OU student and gain access to resources, such as research and volunteer opportunities to help you grow as a confident, future leader in health.

Note: If you are a transfer student, you are able to join ECLIPSE and possibly move up levels based on your previous involvement. Contact ​eclipse@oakland.edu to learn more.

For Winter 2022, ECLIPSE meetings will take place in a hybrid format to accommodate all students.

“In ECLIPSE, we learn a lot about how to improve our leadership skills now to better prepare us for our future as healthcare professionals. It is an awesome program that has led me to great relationships with people of so many different backgrounds and opportunities that I would not have pursued if it wasn’t for ECLIPSE. I LOVE ECLIPSE!”
- Sofia Mansour, Gold ECLIPSE member, Health Sciences (Pre-health Professional Studies) major

“ECLIPSE has connected me with students that share my interests. We encourage each other on career-related requirements, but we also check on each other as friends.”
- Sarah Richards, Silver ECLIPSE member, Health Sciences (Pre-health Professional Studies) major

“Not only does ECLIPSE teach you great leadership skills, it also teaches you great ethics, making you a stronger candidate for med school or dental school. ECLIPSE is a place where you can be yourself.”
- Syeda Zaidi, Bronze ECLIPSE member, Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences major

“One of the most valuable experiences of being in ECLIPSE is having the opportunity to serve others before you get into your career, allowing you to build a rapport and get comfortable communicating with people in a stress-free environment.” 
- Andrew Duke, Gold ECLIPSE member, Exercise Science major 

“ECLIPSE gave me an immeasurable amount of confidence, in myself and in my leadership skills. When I face the real world, I feel much more prepared as a leader and future healthcare professional.”
- Braydon Welch, Platinum ECLIPSE member, Exercise Science major